We've all been waiting all year, and it's finally November. That means this month is all about solo and solo-friendly tabletop games. 

And what better way to celebrate solo tabletop gaming than by creating something new?

Happy Solovember, y'all!

What is Solovember?

Solovember is a month dedicated to the art of the solo tabletop roleplaying game, created by Kaden Ramstack in 2020:

"Started in 2020 during the global pandemic, Solovember is a month long project where participants are encouraged to play, write, share, and all around just talk about single-player TTRPGS."

Hosted by the internet's new directory for solo and duet TTRPGs, the Tiny Table Index, the Solovember Jam is a chance to focus in and create something amazing for the solo gaming community.

What can I create for the Solovember Jam?

Submissions to the Solovember can be anything that fits under the (admittedly broad) umbrella of "solo and solo-friendly games and resources." To give some structure, the jam is borrowing from the Tiny Table Index's general types of entries:

1. GAMES: The real meat and potatoes of this whole corner of the TTRPG world, these are standalone experiences that can be picked up and played as-is with nothing additional (aside from tools like dice, cards, etc).
2. SUPPLEMENTS: Additional content for a specific existing game, like an adventure, character options, rules variants, etc. You can't necessarily pick one of these up and play them on their own, as they're intended to add or change content for a central game.
3. TOOLS: Third party resources and tools that could be used for a wider variety of solo games to enhance the experience, help track information, or add content.

Format, pricing, etc are all up to you. You can create an epic 300 page game book or a game that fits on a business card. Charge a million dollars, or make it free. It just needs to fit in one of the categories above and be solo or solo-friendly.

If you need inspiration, you can check out this list on the Tiny Table Index of games that are specifically listed as solo and solo-friendly.

What do you mean by "solo-friendly" games?

There are a growing number of great games out there that are able to be played by any number of players, from a single player up to a full collaborative game in the style of D&D or Pathfinder.

Some notable examples that I've played more recently are some by Fari RPGs, like Songs & Sagas, Stoneburner, and Breathless that work well in a group but also offer satisfying guidelines for playing them on your own.

Your submission can be a more collaborative, "traditional" TTRPG experience as long as it offers a satisfying way to play the game solo in the submission itself (not as an additional supplement). This could be the inclusion of GM emulation, an oracle system to answer questions, etc.

What are the rules?

Okay, so there aren't a ton of "hard and fast rules", because part of the beauty of solo games is that they can be so many different kinds of experience. But here are some things to keep in mind as you create:

1. No AI. At all. Seriously, not even a little bit here and there. No AI generated "art", text, anything. Submissions found to have AI generated content included anywhere will be quietly removed.
2. Submissions can't have been published prior to the start of the jam. All submissions should be something you've published during the month in which the jam takes place. You're welcome to publish something you've created previously, or were working on before the start of the jam, though.
3. Submissions must be solo or solo-friendly tabletop roleplaying games, supplements, or tools as defined above. If your game is built for larger groups, it must have solo-friendly rules within the submission itself (not as an additional supplement).
4. Adult and NSFW content is permitted (you can update your Itch.io account settings to filter out adult content if you prefer not to see those types of submissions)

Resources

This will be a growing list of helpful resources and templates for folks looking to create games for Solovember Jam 2024. Check back often for updates or follow @tinytableindex.com over on Bluesky.

SRDs and Systems

You don't necessarily have to start with a blank page or a totally original system! Games with permissive licensing allow fellow designers to use pieces of the (or the entire) core system of that game as a starting point. With your own story, relevant system tweaks, and some time, you'll have a great new game based on an existing title.

• Wretched & Alone - for solo journaling games about struggling in the face of insurmountable odds to survive, or to achieve something important
• Hints and Hijinks - a purpose-built solo mystery system that's easy to design mystery games for, and puts the power of deduction in the hands of the player
• Crafted in a Shell - a system for creating games with altruism at their heart about meeting new people, overcoming challenges, and going on journey based on a character's character progression.
• Carta - a card-based SRD for creating games that tell stories about solitary discovery
• LUMEN - an RPG system for action packed, power fantasy games inspired by a number of action video games
• Four Points -  a setting neutral table-top RPG system, which focuses on player agency, narrative, characters and customisation
• Songs & Sagas - a condensed OSR inspired tabletop role-playing game of axes, runes, spirits and legends with an excellent open-licensed SRD and documentation
• Primal Quest - a streamlined set of rules for weird stone & sorcery adventures in a mythical world where humanity survives side by side with dinosaurs, aliens, and creatures more ancient than the world itself
• Passkey - a SRD for creating solo or guided tabletop games, focusing on Player agency, customization, and narrative role-play
• Caltrop Core - an extremely simple and bare bones system built so that anyone can make a game with it, regardless of experience level

Community

• Solovember Jam 2024 thread on the TTRPG Collective Discord
• Tag the Tiny Table Index on socials with info on your submission, and I'll help spread the word!
  • Bluesky - @tinytableindex.com
  • Threads - @tinytableindex